


Together Can Never Be Close Enough

by shanachie



Series: Honolulu 96731 [3]
Category: Hawaii Five-O AU
Genre: Boys being stupid and dorky, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-16 07:35:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14807046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shanachie/pseuds/shanachie
Summary: Steve McGarrett is BMOC; he’s just got one problem—he’s got the major hots for the new kid at school. And Danny wants nothing to do with him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WhoGeek](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhoGeek/gifts), [emocezi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/emocezi/gifts), [swing_set13](https://archiveofourown.org/users/swing_set13/gifts).



> So for those of you who enjoyed military verse…I’m sorry, that was totally a one shot and only supposed to be a one shot. This on the other hand? Oh I am so in love with the Hawaii Five-O team as teenagers and the things they could get up to. This is the first part of what will be an on-going verse, but I need to catch up on some other stuff first before I write the next couple of parts. This is for [](https://emocezi.livejournal.com/profile)[emocezi](https://emocezi.livejournal.com/) —always an enabler. [](https://whogeek.livejournal.com/profile)[whogeek](https://whogeek.livejournal.com/) —who has flailed over everything she’s seen so far. And just a little bit to [](https://swing-set13.livejournal.com/profile)[swing_set13](https://swing-set13.livejournal.com/)  who enabled this by calling Steve a stalker.
> 
> Disclaimer: Hawaii Five-O doesn’t belong to me, but the High School verse does. And the dorky things the characters got up to as teenagers (also Danny moving to the Islands as a teenager) totally do too. “Marry Me” doesn’t belong to me either, but to Train.

Steve omphed as a book landed on his stomach. Cracking open his eyes, he looked up into the stoic features of his best friend. “You have a pop quiz in English, brah. Did you even _read_ the book?” he asked.

“How is it a _pop_ quiz if I know it’s coming?” Steve asked.

“Because the team needs you this weekend. You know there’s more to life than football and science,” Chin answered as he shoved the lankier teen over and took a seat on the table next to him.

“Yes, but English isn’t going to pay my way through college,” Steve answered.

“Getting suspended from the team for low grades in your senior year isn’t going to do well with getting you into college either. Or make your father very happy.”

Steve opened his mouth to reply when they were descended on by four or five of their teammates. For a few moments the air was filled with good natured insults and ribbing as the boys tossed words and the pigskins the newcomers had brought back and forth. Once they’d settled down, Steve had obviously been derailed from their prior conversation as he fingered the football he’d ended up with, turning it over and over in his hands. One of the new boys picked up the book, Chin had given him. “Brah, are you gonna actually _read_ a book?” he asked.

The star footballer swiped it back. “Hey, unlike you I actually care about my grades. Maybe if you paid more attention in class, you could read the playbook,” he taunted.

“Ooh! Burn! Got you!” came from a variety of voices as the insults started up again. Steve used the talking as cover to slip the book into his backpack, tucking it under his feet to keep it safe. He wasn’t really worried that his friends would take his books but they sometimes got carried away.

“Howzzit, Cuz? Howzzit, Steve?” a high voice drew their attention away from the increasingly creative insults.

Steve levered himself upright, putting his sunglasses on top of his head and squinting against the light. “Howzzit, Little Kelly?” he greeted the surfer girl in front of them.

She rolled her eyes at his greeting and shifted at Chin’s look. Opening her mouth, she started to say something else, but he cut her off, “Scram, Kono. I’ll see you later.”

She glared at him, but stalked off, obviously used to the dismissal. “Couple more years and that’ll be a fine piece,” one of the guys commented and yelped when a hand snaked out and bent his fingers back. No one was sure who’d made the first move, but both Chin and Steve settled back as the boy babbled apologies.

“Behaving yourself, Steve?” a familiar voice asked.

Steve turned in her direction, a lazy smile spreading across his face. “Of course, Catherine,” he replied. “I wouldn’t want to harm your reputation.”

“Somehow I don’t think _you_ can harm it since we’re no longer dating.” She acknowledged the other boys who were waving at her, falling off the benches or table, or calling her name quietly by nodding almost regally. When they finally fell silent, she continued, “Walk me to class?”

“Of course,” Steve answered, swinging his long legs down and grabbing his back pack.

“English quiz, McGarrett,” Chin reminded him and Steve waved over his shoulder as he fell in step with Catherine.

“You have an English quiz?” Catherine asked as they strolled across the quad.

“I do,” Steve confirmed, “but it’ll be fine. Chin’s just worrying needlessly.”

She sighed, tucking a strand of hair that had come loose from her French braid behind an ear. “Steve, if you…”

“Cat, I’ve already heard it. From my father. And Chin. And the coach. I really don’t need it from you, too.” He shifted his backpack. “So I did kinda have a favor to ask?”

“Another one?”

“Well this one has nothing to do with the other thing,” he said. “Mary’s coming home this weekend.”

Catherine smiled in response. “That’s great, Steve.” Her face fell at his reaction. “That’s not great?”

“No. I’ll be glad to see her, but she wants to go…” he shuddered “shopping. Cat, I don’t wanna go shopping.”

She bumped her hip against him. “I think I can do something about that. Have her call me when she gets home and we’ll make plans.”

He slung an arm around her shoulders, squeezing her quickly and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Why did I break up with you again?”

“Selective memory, Steve. I broke…” her words were cut off by the roar of an engine and she sighed as he stopped walking and turned almost as if he was on strings towards the lot. She crossed her arms, hugging her books to her chest. “His name is Danny Williams,” she informed him. “He just arrived from New Jersey.”

Steve nodded absently, watching as the black Kawasaki Ninja slid expertly into place along the curb. The rider sat up, fiddling with something in front of him, before pulling off his leather gloves and stuffing them in a pocket on his jacket and zipping it up. He unhooked the clasp on his helmet, pulling it off, and running a hand through the dirty blonde Mohawk that stuck up when he removed his hand. He twisted around, unlatching his saddlebag and pulling out a set of books. Steve’s eyes traced the muscles in his legs as he swung one over, getting off the bike. As he moved towards the school, he reached up, unzipping the jacket. His blue eyes scanned the grounds, cataloging the people around him. When they rested on Catherine, he nodded once in greeting and she waved back. Steve turned to follow his progress until he disappeared into the building, his hazel eyes glued to the other boy’s ass long after he couldn’t see it.

Catherine elbowed him in the stomach after she’d spoken twice and gotten no response. “You’re drooling, McGarrett. And causing a spectacle,” she told him.

“I wasn’t drooling,” he protested.

She reached up, pretending to wipe the side of his mouth. “Just be careful. I’d hate to see you get hurt.”

He threw his arm around her shoulders again. “Hey. It’s me.”

“Yeah. That’s what I’m afraid of.”

He started to guide her into the building. “So what else did you find out about our transplanted mainlander?”

_H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU_

Chin kicked Steve under the table. “Are you listening?”

“To what? Mitchell running his mouth again?” Steve replied. “I don’t need to hear how he supposedly got laid last night.”

“No, to the plans for this weekend after the game,” Chin told him.

“Mary’ll be home this weekend. Dad wants me to come home right after the game,” Steve said. Movement at the door drew his attention and he craned his neck, trying to see above the milling students. A familiar black haired head bobbed alongside a blonde head that had become almost like a drug to him. “Where’s he going?”

“Where’s who…?” Chin turned around and realized who Steve was watching. “Not a good idea, brah.”

“What? Inviting the new guy to eat with us?” Steve asked.

“Yeah cause that’s what’s on your mind,” Chin said in a low voice.

“Invite Kono over then. Ask her to bring her friend,” Steve insisted.

“No.” Chin turned his attention back to picking over his lunch, paying way more attention than it was worth.

“Come on, man. She’s your cousin. Show some family love. Like you’re always telling me when I’ve gotta drag Mary along.”

“There’s a difference. She’s my _baby_ cousin. And she’s a dork. She’ll just talk about surfing and grades. You have to bring Mary because she’s away at school most of the time and your dad doesn’t trust her not to run wild when she’s back on the island.”

Steve turned his head so he could follow the progress of the other two as they weaved their way through the lunch room. Kono was chattering animatedly as Danny nodded along, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He was still wearing the leather jacket from that morning and it just brushed the top of the waistband of his jeans. He bent down, dropping his bag next to Kono’s as she took a seat at a table two over from where Steve and Chin sat before straddling the bench and setting his tray down. She said something that caused his shoulders to shake, obviously laughing in response. “Oh god,” Steve said. “She made him laugh. What is she telling him? I was a jerk to her this morning. I hope she isn’t telling him something bad about me.”

Chin rolled his eyes. “Steve? You’re really starting to worry me. Did they hit you too hard last weekend?”

Danny shifted on the bench as another student stopped and looked up at the girl, smiling easily, although it wasn’t the huge smile he’d given Kono. He said something before turning back to his previous conversation, leaving the other girl obviously annoyed. “He didn’t want to talk to that girl,” Steve said almost happily. “Maybe I should go talk to him.”

“Maybe you should get your ass to English class and take your quiz,” Chin reminded him. “Bell’s gonna ring.”

“But…” Steve started.

Chin grabbed him by the ear. “English now. Mooning later.”

_H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU_

Danny dodged an amorous couple, rolling his eyes as he just made it through the door as the bell rang. One more tardy and he’d be facing detention, which would do his rep good, but not do as much for his after school schedule. Sighing as he considered everything he needed to do, he slid onto a stool next to Kono, carefully setting his camera bag down after dropping his backpack.

“How did your French test go?” she asked.

“Hello to you, too,” he answered. “I’ve had a fine day. And to answer your question, my French test sucked aaa…” he stopped as their teacher paused by the table. “Hi, Mr. Doyle.”

“I believe you both owe me projects,” he pointed out, ignoring Danny’s language. “Why don’t you start there today?”

“I’ll get your negatives,” Kono offered, hopping off her stool. She bounced away before Danny could say anything.

He turned back to see his teacher watching him. “Problem, sir?”

“Just wondering if everything’s going well for you,” Mr. Doyle replied.

Danny shucked his jacket, feeling comfortable with leaving it here and wanting to have free range of motion in the darkroom. “Fine, sir.” Scooping up his camera bag, he stalked away to join Kono as she entered the darkroom.

“Sorry,” she said in a small voice as she handed over the bin containing his negative and photo paper.

“I’m not upset with you, Kono,” he told her as he flipped on the red light and closed the door behind them. “It’s just been a long day. Pretty sure I failed that test.”

“I thought you’d gotten a tutor.” She ducked around him, pulling out her own work and beginning to sort it.

“He’s an ass. Keeps hitting on me. Not that I mind that you understand, but it makes it rather difficult to learn a language when I’m trying to suss out whether he’s actually _teaching_ me something or just using crass terms.” He punctuated his words with some gestures that made Kono hide a smile. “And stop that. I know what you’re thinking.”

“I’m not thinking anything, Danny. Other than maybe you should tell the guy I made all the girls envious today because I was in the darkroom alone with you today.”

“Kono, babe, if you were my type, that would be so much more of a threat.” His hands moved automatically through his negatives as he picked out the ones he wanted to use to illustrate _Hawaiian Life_.

“So what or who is your type?” she asked. “Cause I have yet to see you react to anyone. Other than to shoot down every single girl that’s asked you out.” __

TBC...

[Part Two](http://shanachie-quill.livejournal.com/133834.html)


	2. Chapter 2

For a few minutes, he focused on his project. When Kono didn’t press him for an answer, he turned to look at her. She was carefully lining up the negatives to expose them on film and seemingly not paying any attention to him. “I’m not sure I want to date anyone here. Since I just want to go back to Jersey.”  
  
“ _Are_  you going back to Jersey?” she asked. “I mean like now?”  
  
“Not in the near future, Kono,” he answered before sighing. “And with everything going on probably not even after graduation.”  
  
She practically pounced on his words. “See! There’s no reason you couldn’t get involved with someone. So what’s your type? Blonde, brunette, redhead? Tall, short?” She eyed him for a minute. “Guy?”  
  
Danny was glad he didn’t have a picture in the chemicals when she said that, he would have ruined the print. “Ko-No!” he yelped.  
  
She turned; the innocent look just barely visible in the red light. “What? Just because I’m younger doesn’t mean I don’t know things. I know lots of gay guys.”  
  
“Oh, really? Who?” Danny retorted.  
  
“Oh, please. You think all those surfer boys I hang out with are straight? Puh-leeze.” She flapped a hand in some combination of jazz hands and flamer that made Danny bite his lower lip so he didn’t laugh as her words lapsed into the weird surfer dialect he had yet to pick up. Finally she wound down. “So are you or aren’t you?” she asked bluntly.  
  
“I…I…” Danny responded.  
  
“Danny, brah. I don’t care. Unless you do.”  
  
He took a deep breath. “No, I don’t care. I’m comfortable with who I am.”  
  
“Soooo?” Kono asked.  
  
“Kono, do you  _really_  want me to spell it out?” He turned to face her. He was sure she wasn’t as innocent as she looked, but she still reminded him of his younger cousin who’d walked in on him going down on the boy from down the street and that was an image he never wanted to deal with again. “Tall, brunette, ripped, okay? And anything else is none of your business.”  
  
She considered this for a few minutes. “I might know a few guys like that.”  
  
Danny hit his head lightly against the wall closest to him. “What part of I’m not interested do you not get? I just…I need to concentrate on my grades. And attempt to stay out of trouble. And Grace.”  
  
Her eyes lit up even in the low light of the darkroom and she reached across him, snagging one of the pictures from his project. It showed a little girl, long pigtails flying as she whirled around to smile at the camera. “So when do I get to meet the infamous Grace?” she asked, turning the picture to face him.  
  
Danny took the photo from her, shrugging. “I don’t know. It’s not like I let my baby hang out with borderline hoods.”  
  
“It’s so cute that you call her your baby.” Kono giggled. She flapped a hand at his pictures and negatives. “Look. She likes the beach, right?” At his slow nod, she continued, “Why don’t you bring her to the North Shore on Saturday? You can get some more pictures for your project, cause, brah there is no Hawaii without surfing, and I can meet your little angel.”  
  
“There is no bikini and my Grace in the same time zone,” Danny protested.  
  
“Do your parents know you talk this way?” Kono asked.  
  
He rolled his eyes. “Considering the amount of time  _I_  spend with her and the amount of time  _they_  spend with her…I doubt they’ve even noticed. She’s not wearing a bikini and she’s sure as hell not surfing.”  
  
“No surfing and no bikini,” Kono promised. “Unless she really wants to. But Saturday? Please?”  
  
“Why is it so important to you?” he asked, crossing his arms and leaning back against the table.  
  
Kono took a moment to appreciate the view he was presenting. Danny with his leather jacket on had a shield against the world. Danny right now was all firm muscles underneath a tight t-shirt and painted on jeans. Kono was woman enough to understand it was hormones that made her want to spend more time with him and teenage enough to wish he liked girls. “I want you to like Hawaii because it’s my home,” she answered. “And I want to meet someone important to you.”  
  
He considered her words for a moment before nodding. “All right. I’ll bring her. But not for the whole day and we are not getting up at the damn crack of dawn to meet you.”  
  
“No, that’s fine, but not too late, all right?”  
  
After he nodded his acceptance of this, she considered him again and he could almost see her plotting. “Kono, I said no to you setting me up with someone.”  
  
“No. No it’s not that. I was just thinking. You did sports in Jersey, right?”  
  
“I ran track,” he said hesitantly. “But I can’t do that now. I’ve got Grace.”  
  
She held up a finger. “Ah, but practices for sport teams are the last period of the day and I happen to know you have that period free. So you could at least come today and run with me and see if you  _want_  to join the team.”  
  
“Kono, please don’t try to take over the world,” he begged as he began to clean up his supplies. “Your plotting is scary.”  
  
She giggled in response and got to work on her own supplies as they hurried to put the darkroom back to rights before the bell rang.  
  


_H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU H50 AU_

  
  
Danny shrieked as a pair of hands landed on his hips. Twisting around, he peered up at Kono’s grinning face. “Seriously. Gonna bell you, girl!” he growled.  
  
She bumped him with her hip, her grin widening even more. “You scream like a girl, haole,” she informed him.  
  
“Hate that word,” he grumbled as he straightened up, shaking his feet to check the fit of his sneakers. His blue eyes scanned the field as he fell into the rhythm of stretching; something he’d not forgotten although it’d been a while since he ran.  
  
Beside him, Kono did the same as she replied, “But I say it with  _love_.”  
  
“Only you, surfer girl,” Danny replied.  
  
“So I’m thinking we take it nice and easy,” Kono suggested. She nodded at his knee. “For both of us.”  
  
Danny picked up his iPod from where he’d set it on the bench beside his bag. “You gonna talk my ear off?”  
  
Kono stuck her own earbuds in her ears. “Not unless you’re gonna do it to me. Set the pace?”  
  
Danny stepped onto the track in answer and set off at once, grinning as the younger girl easily caught up with him. Within moments, they were striding along side by side. And he remembered why he enjoyed this so much.  
  
The football hit Steve in the chest, luckily not doing much damage since he was wearing his pads, considering it was thrown by Chin Ho Kelly. “What the hell?” Steve demanded as Chin jogged over to join him, scooping up the ball and lobbing it back at his friend.  
  
“You better not be perving on my cuz, brah,” Chin responded, bouncing the ball off Steve’s head.  
  
Steve rubbed his head where the ball had landed, looking at the other boy in confusion. “Who?”  
  
“My little…” Chin took a good look at the two runners pacing each other on the track and sighed. “Never mind. Not a good idea, Steve.”  
  
Steve caught the ball that Chin tossed to him, asking, “What part of it isn’t a good idea?”  
  
“Um. All of it?” Chin jerked his head at the two as they got farther away. “What do you know about him? Have you even talked to him?”  
  
“No. I haven’t. But I don’t need to. Not yet anyway.” Steve’s hazel eyes drifted towards where the runners were rounding the curve again. “I need to learn more about him first.”  
  
“You don’t.” Chin blinked. “I’m thinking that’s a  _really_  bad idea. Steve, you cannot just…plot and learn…and no.” He knew that look in Steve’s eye. Steve was about to do something really stupid.  
  
Steve threw the football back to Chin. “Pass it to me.”  
  
“Steve,” Chin warned. “You’re gonna…”  
  
Steve’s eyes hardened and for a second Chin could see the elder McGarrett in him. “I know what I’m doing, Kelly,” the taller boy responded. “I did the math.”  
  
“He did the math,” Chin grumbled, even as his posture automatically altered, converting so he could whip the ball in a long, graceful arc. If Steve angled right, the ball would land safely in his hands.  
  
Instead the normally graceful boy fumbled, sending the ball spinning out onto the track and directly into the path of the two runners. Steve widened his eyes, his hazel ones appearing just a bit  _too_  innocent as Danny’s shocked blue ones met them. Kono had time to dodge, easily avoiding both player and ball, but Danny collided with him and they tumbled into the dirt.  
  
Steve rolled, wrapping his arms around the smaller more compact body, and taking the brunt of the impact as he twisted them so Danny landed on top of him. There was a vicious curse as the two of them fell to the ground. Despite Danny obviously trying to slow his pace, he hadn’t seen Steve in time, and he hit the footballer with enough force to knock the air from Steve’s lungs.  
  
For a moment, Danny’s body was laid out across Steve’s and then the other boy was scrambling to his feet or attempting to as Chin ran over to them. “Danny, you okay, brah?” he asked, offering his hand to the blonde.  
  
“I’m sorry,” Steve apologized as Chin and Kono combined to help Danny to his feet. “I have no idea what happened. That should have been an easy catch.”  
  
Chin threw a look over his shoulder that stated with no uncertainties that Steve sucked at lying as Danny stood up. He shook his head as he looked at the boy still sprawled across the track. “Seriously. Do they drop you people on your heads when you’re babies? What the hell were you thinking? Are you brain damaged?” As he spoke he held his hand out to Steve who looked at it like it was going to bite him. “Really? Come on. That ground can’t be comfortable. Get your ass off it. But really. If you wanted to say hello, there are less painful ways.”  
  
“I…um…” Steve responded as he accepted the hand. Danny braced himself and hauled Steve to his feet, the other boy’s hazel eyes widening as the mainlander easily pulled him up. “Sorry?”  
  
“Sorry? For what? For ruining a perfectly good run? Or for crashing into me? Or making Kono leap over you? Or for…” Danny’s questions were interrupted by the cheery strains of “My Girl” coming from his shorts. “Hold that thought.” He rooted around in his pocket for a second, finally digging out a cell phone. He hit the answer button and put it to his ear, a wide smile breaking out as he said, “Hi, sweetie.”  
  
Steve looked at Chin and Kono, both of whom shrugged in response as Danny walked a few steps away from them. He listened to the person on the other end, answering cheerfully whatever she was saying, but glancing over at the group every few seconds. After what seemed to Steve like an interminable time, Danny’s voice raised enough to be heard clearly, “I have some friends waiting. I’ll see you soon, okay? Danno loves you.” He smiled at whatever was said in response before shoving the phone back in his pocket. Rejoining them, he said, “I need to go. Kono, I’ll see you Saturday.”  
  
“Sounds good, brah,” she answered with a grin. “Have fun with Grace.”  
  
He grinned in response before nodding at the boys. “See you in class, Chin.” With a wave, he jogged off towards the school.  
  
Steve grabbed Kono as she turned to go away. “Kono, who’s Grace?”  
  
She eyed his hand where it gripped her arm. “Now you know my name? I don’t think so, McGarrett. Remove your hand. Or I’ll do it for you.”  
  
Steve jerked his hand away quickly. Kono could be vicious when she chose. “Sorry. Please tell me what you know about Grace.”  
  
“Maybe you should find out for yourself by trying to spend time with him. Or talking to him. Instead of attempting to injure him,” Kono replied. “He’s spending time with me on Saturday.” She stuck her earbuds back in her ears and jogged away.  
  
“Chin.” Steve turned to his best friend. “What do you think about checking out the North Shore on Saturday?”


End file.
